


damsel in distress

by Rona23



Series: Merlin´s  magic [23]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Damsel in Distress, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23577334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rona23/pseuds/Rona23
Summary: Arthur loved fairy tales. And he loved to twist them and understand what stereotypes were made of.That didn't mean he was prepared for Merlin.
Relationships: Aithusa & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Lancelot & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Lancelot & Merlin (Merlin), Leon & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Leon & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin´s  magic [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588378
Comments: 36
Kudos: 592





	damsel in distress

**Author's Note:**

> So guys, I think I stumbled over the entire story. I didn't even know what I was trying to tell here, so I just - did this in multiple sessions. Each with a different mindset. And I honestly have no idea if this is any good XD  
> I kept confusing myself XD I hope you like it anyway XD :)

Like many people in the world, Arthur had always loved stories. Not just stories. Tales. Fairy tales were his favorite. He loved the endless stories of evil sorcerers that bewitched the fair maiden.   
He loved the giant dragon that held her captive.  
He was excited about the knights and princes that fought their way through danger and mazes and villains to be the hero. 

At least, that was how it was in the beginning. When Arthur was still a child. Maybe five years old. Too young to watch the beheading of sorcerers outside.   
Too young to understand the war that his father had been waging since his birth. 

When Arthur grew older, and met Morgana, he learned to challenge his mind. And tried to see his favorite tales from a different perspective.   
Just like saw his father as a good man who had to slaughter men and women to save his people – he turned around the characters in the books.   
His nurse refused to cooperate at first, but she couldn't evade Arthur's and Morgana's pleas forever. 

The prince was suddenly the bad guy. Not because Arthur thought he himself was bad. No. He did it to understand what made a prince a good man in the first place.   
Morgana helped a lot. She told him that a good prince was there for his people. So the evil one would be burning their crops. Would hurt their children etc. Just so Arthur could see the consequences of his actions.  
The evil witch or the sorcerer were suddenly healers. Secretly and kindly. They were the ones the fair maiden and her best friend, the dragon must safe. 

At some point it became too boring for them to just hear these stories. So they decided to play them. Morgana was always the Dragon. Sometimes she would be double crossing Arthur, the damsel who was trained to kill since birth and wanted to save the prince. (Arthur insisted to save a sorcerer at first, but when Uther found out, Arthur had been lectured so bad, he had nightmares for an entire week.)

Sometimes, when Morgana was crying about the knew dolls she had gotten for her birthday (she always wished for knifes, but Uther insisted that girls had long hair, wore dresses and played with dolls), Arthur asked her to play tea party with him.   
He would cut the dolls hair, and play court with them. He only cut their hair, because again, Uther had insisted only women had long hair. He cut them, so his father couldn't be mad that his entire court consisted of women. 

(“They have short hair father. They are men.” “They are wearing dresses, Arthur.”   
“Excuse me? Those are robes! ROBES!”  
Women in disguise. Uther had accepted Arthur's weird reasoning. )

Arthur also got to wear Morgana's necklaces and rings and all that. Because those were his treasure. They showed his wealth. 

Arthur loved these games. Especially when he got to spar with Morgana. And exercise, which they did in secret to hide from Uther as well.   
In all fairness, they had to hide a lot from Uther. 

Arthur loved fairy tales. And he loved to twist them and understand what stereotypes were made of. 

\------------------------

That was why Merlin left such a great impression on him. It was their first encounter. And a farming boy, a low class foreigner, had decided to challenge a knight.   
Well, not any knight. The prince himself. But the boy didn't know that at first glance. Arthur knew, courage was rare to find in a man. Loyalty was a promise hardly earned.   
His own knights were taught lessons on noble and honorable behavior then and there. But Merlin – a boy with pale skin and worn clothes – he portrayed some sense of nobility that Arthur had rarely witnessed. 

And when he saved Arthur's life and became his servant – a part of him wanted to test this boy. See if he could hold a sword well enough to become a knight.   
It had been Arthur's dream, long ago, that one day, when he was king, any man could attempt to become a knight.   
(Maybe women too. He was not quite sure about that, because of how his father had taught him how pitiful it was to loose to one. Arthur was an adult now. Some of his games had to stay where they came from. His childhood memories. At least until he became king.)

Merlin was a failure as a swordsman. But that was okay. Because Merlin made up for his lack of training with a mix of bravery that brought him along on missions, and cowardliness that hid him during actual attacks and protected his life.

Merlin was a constant damsel in distress, Arthur thought one day. When once more, bandits had attacked their camp and Merlin was hiding behind a tree. Again.  
Arthur decided then and there, that as he was prince, he had to protect him.   
Whatever the cost. 

\--------------------------

“Sire?”, Leon was reading through the knew knights code. Since Arthur became king, he could do that.  
“Yes, Leon?”

“This says, we have to protect any defenseless company that we may take with us.”  
“Yes.”, Arthur nodded, while the other knights on the training field listened in on them.   
“You made a footnote.”  
“I know. I did.”, Arthur nodded again. 

“It says especially Merlin.”  
“We take him with us all the time. Makes sense, doesn't it?”  
“No. Not really. Because the code demands we have to keep our king and or future king safe above all others!”

“Pretty stupid, if you ask me. I know how to wield a sword. I'm not defenseless.”

“You wrote in here, that Merlin's life is more important than your own.”  
“Do you swear on it, or do you not, Leon?”, Arthur raised an eyebrow.   
“Holy crap. Yes, of course I do.”, Leon looked bewildered, but he signed the contract anyway.   
The other knights laughed, as they did the same. 

It was strange, how none of the knights refused. Arthur had sometimes made changes to the knight's code, when his father was not looking. And usually, his knights had a lot to say about that.   
This change went surprisingly easy. 

Well, they couldn't really help it. Could they? Merlin was surprisingly popular. With the knights, with the lower town.   
The poor, the nobles. Everyone. They loved him. The strange boy who came to defend the defenseless against bullies. The boy who brought flowers to the widows. And food to the starving.   
The boy who was apprentice to the court physician, servant to the prince and saint to the people. 

It was hardly shocking to see his knights be so eager to swear a vow to him.   
Arthur thinks there had been more complains, when his father made him first knight. 

A simple farmer. A fool. A servant. Loved by all. Arthur smiled. Merlin was exactly the kind of stereotype twist he had always waited for.   
And now he wasn't just finding him outside a fairy tale. He found him at his very side. As a loyal friend. His best friend.

\--------------------------

Loved by all may have just been a rough caption for Merlin. But really?  
First Gwen, then Lancelot, the Gwaine, then – literally everyone Arthur decided to trust, loved Merlin. Even Morgana did. Not that Morgana was heartless. Far from it.   
But her love was more – surrounding, not directed and focused on one person. Except for Gwen and Merlin, apparently. (Gwen more so ;) )

Merlin managed to capture the hearts of the noble women that were supposed to court Arthur when their fathers introduced them to him.   
For some weird reason, they were all drawn to the big eared grinning idiot that stumbled over his own feet.

Arthur could only smile at this. He was glad the attention wasn't drawn to himself. He considered them very annoying. Before Merlin had gotten here, his usually busy days had gotten even busier because of them. His focused mind too distracted to function properly.   
Arthur wasn't necessarily attracted to any of the girls, just like he wasn't against them.   
But they liked to chatter his ears off.   
So that Arthur often found himself deaf for a couple of days after they left. 

Merlin also drew in the farmers and cooks that gifted Arthur and the knights special treatments, like apples for Gwaine, for example, when the servant tagged along. 

The knights and Arthur had found a way to include Merlin on almost all their activities.   
Merlin may not be allowed to spar with them. But he was made the waterboy during their training.   
When they went on hunts, he was allowed there, because he provided food and knew a little about medicine. His knowledge in that area was growing rather fast, not that Arthur had noticed. 

Even the animals seemed to love him. Just like Merlin loved them. The unicorn may be one example that you remember.   
But that also went for rabbits and deer and other wild life that Arthur was hunting.   
On the one hand that was pretty amazing, because the animals didn't run away, when Merlin stumbled through the forest like the big oaf he was. On the other hand, Merlin complained a lot about the mass murder of the innocents.   
“It's not that bad Merlin. You eat meat yourself.”  
“Yeah, but I don't sneak up on them to violently arrow them in the neck.”  
“That's not a verb, Merlin. And how do you suggest we do it?”  
“I don't know? Go there, ask them if they are okay with being eaten.”  
“That's – I don't even know what that's supposed to mean. What the hell, Merlin.”

The more Merlin tagged along, the weirder the people and creatures that loved him became. 

It was during a hunt, that Arthur, his knights and Merlin got captured by a bunch of bandits. Bandits who sold their “merchandise” (slaves, fighters) to kings and queens in far away kingdoms.   
This merchandise was stored within cards that were lead by horses. 

How they had managed to knock out four knights and a servant, who knew. Maybe it was the weird gas smell Arthur had noticed the night before.   
Anyway. That stuff would knock out a man for hours. Even if Arthur was the kind of man who revived earlier than most people did, he woke up to laughing voices. 

It was dark in the cart. And it smelled like feet.   
He was in a cart with Merlin. The other knights must be in other cards. Arthur could see their red robes from where he rested on the ground. 

“No way. That cannot be true! She did that?!”, Merlin was laughing, as he leaned his arms crossed against the bars that stopped them from escaping.   
They were already moving over sticks and stones. It must have been the rattling that woke Arthur up. 

“Yes! Can you believe it?”  
“Did she survive the fall?”  
“She bloody did. She wasn't even hurt! She landed like a cat in the mud and took out five men.”  
“You said there were only four.”

“Okay. She didn't take out the last one. Her friend took that one out of her BODY!”  
“She was pregnant?”  
“Yes! Two weeks overdue. Sick, right?”

Was Merlin just chatting with the bandit? The guy had a scar over his face. Blind on one side. His face was edged and old and wittered. He looked like the kind of person that broke out a prisojust to get to the next tavern to tear other people to threads. Or tell them about all the murders he had to commit last week.  
His black clothes looked like that of an old mercenary. Arthur was pretty sure, the man could hold himself in a fight. 

And now he was talking to Merlin about – pregnant, fighting women? How on earth...

“Merlin?”, Arthur asked, sitting himself up in the dirt. 

“Ahh. The princess is awake. You've been asleep for quite a while, my boy.”, the mercenary laughed.   
Was Arthur missing something here? Was this a dream? He was pretty sure he must have hit his head. Nope, no blood on his fingers. 

Merlin gave him a kind smile.   
“Kaiden here decided to give us a lift home. Didn't you?”

The man chuckled. Nope. Merlin was too naive. That guy would never take them home. Never. Not in a million years.   
“Well. I was on my way to Camelot anyway. So why not.”

“Aren't you – a bandit?”

“What? Ah, why, yes of course. Originally I wanted to hand you over to king Lot. But ya know – this boy here made a very good point in why I shouldn't.”, over the rears of his horse, the man clicked his tongue and then ruffled Merlin's hair. The servant laughed. 

“What? What point?”  
The mercenary gave Merlin a short look and his smile faded for just a second. Was that – fear in his eyes? What for? What from?  
“That my life would be better of, if I went to settle down on a farm. My men and I are now planning to find some land and help each other sow and plow it.”, he shrugged. 

“I don-”  
“I am a very good life coach, Sire.”, Merlin grinned. “I told you, I have many talents.”

Apparently, he did. Or his extravagance as a person was contagious. Shit, Arthur hadn't caught it yet, had he?

Arthur nodded, blinking rapidly.   
“Say Merlin, how long have you been awake?”  
“Hmm?”, Merlin asked, barely turning around to look at Arthur.   
“We were knocked unconscious. What about you? How are you already awake?”

“I just woke up an hour ago.”, Merlin said. Somehow, Arthur didn't believe that.

“Right...”, Arthur said. Because he was quite certain that he was usually the first one awake at such occasions. And he clearly wasn't making friends with their enemies.   
“And you are sure we're going back to Camelot?”, Arthur asked. 

“100 % Sire.”, Merlin grinned. 

And they were. The bandits just let them out right in front of the castle walls. (Not without Merlin promising to visit them on their land, wherever that was.)

“How did you do that, Merlin?”, Arthur would ask later, as soon as they passed the gates. The knights still groggy from their sleep.   
“What do you mean?”  
“Convince the bandits to let us out.”  
“Oh. I threatened to use magic against them. Told them I was some secret prophecy sorcerer.”  
“And they believed you?”  
“Seems so.”

\-------------------------

If it wasn't enough that Merlin kept beswaying their enemies behind Arthur's back, magical creatures now also seemed to take a strange liking to the odd servant.   
There was – a dragon.   
Well, the thing was as tall as a small hut. Arthur hadn't even recognized it as a child. But Merlin was swooning all around it and rubbing it behind it's ears.

To be fair, Merlin was probably unaware of Arthur's presence. The prince was currently hiding behind bushes, his sword ready to attack. Whether he had to throw it – Arthur had no idea. He didn't even remember how he had supposedly killed the last dragon. The last dragon he encountered and believed to be the last dragon that is.

“You've grown again, my little fluffy dragon baby.” Merlin had the worst baby imitation voice, but the dragon didn't seem to care. She just wrapped herself around the servant and made squiggly noises that sounded almost like that of a bird. 

Now Arthur was not an idiot. Who would attack something that was so clearly harmless? Not that dragons were harmless. God beware, Arthur knew better than that.   
But the thing was making itself smaller than Merlin of all people. What good would it do a dragon to make itself lower than a servant? And an idiot servant at that!

Arthur lowered his sword. It didn't seem like the thing was attacking. And Arthur was not his father. He wouldn't attack people or creatures unless they actually did some harm to the people.   
Or was it trying to eat Merlin?  
Arthur's grip on his sword tightened again. 

“Now, be a good dragon, Aithusa and go find Kilgarrah. I need to speak with him. He can't just abandon you. You two are the last of your kind. You need to stick together.”  
The dragon was whining now.  
Two? There were two? And apparently this Kilgarrah was this dragon's babysitter....  
If Aithusa was already the size of a building, how tall must this Kilgarrah be?  
Arthur gulped. 

“And no bats for dinner! Those are disgusting. They make you sick!”, Merlin warned. 

Arthur slowly, but surely stepped a few steps back, before he felt safe enough to turn around and run away as fast as possible.   
Normally, he would think like a knight and decide he had to safe Merlin. Because Merlin was their new first priority -  
But Merlin seemed just fine on his own. Arthur on the other hand – He still valued his own life.

\-----------------

Arthur hadn't confronted Merlin about the whole dragon thing. He hoped somewhere deep down, that Merlin would explain it to him. To just come around and say something among the lines of: Hey Arthur, by the way. There is this baby dragon I want you to meet. Don't worry, I have very good and simple reasons to trust them.  
Instead, the servant came into his room the next morning, excitedly showing him a letter.

(Arthur wouldn't know this, but Merlin had found this letter on the remains of a small pidgeon that Aithusa had caught and eaten the day before.)

“I've been invited!”, he yells happily.   
“You? Invited? To what exactly?” Arthur wasn't sure if he was ready for another surprise.   
He yawned, trying to cover himself with his blanket, so he wouldn't have to deal with the sudden blinding light from the morning sun.

“Old friends. I know I don't look like it, but my mother was able to send me to school. There is one in Cendred's kingdom. Only few can afford it, but my mother and Will traveled with me, so I could at least get some basic reading and writing and stuff. We all had to work really hard, so we could afford it. I think it's our ten year anniversary from graduation.”

“You and Will went to school together?” That was strange. Arthur had heard of that school, sure. Since Cendred became king in Essetir, many of the common people were given the chance to learn read and write.... But a simple farmer like Merlin could not afford the expenses, surely?  
Then again, Merlin was not a simple farmer. 

“Hmm? What? Oh no. Just me. My mother practically raised Will as my brother, but he said he wanted to be a farmer anyway. While I always wanted to go to the big city. We could only afford one of us to go. So he said, it would make more sense if I went there.  
I'm so excited. Would it be okay? Can we go?”

Merlin was babbling. But that was nothing knew. Quite the contrary really.   
However, this was probably the first time Merlin was ever babbling about himself. Rather than mundane things like the weather or Arthur's bed hair.  
Wait a second -  
“We?”

“Yeah. It's a three days ride from here. And the party is in a week, so I thought -”

“Merlin, you're not expecting me to come with you, are you?”

Merlin blinked. “Well, I can't exactly leave you alone in Camelot for a day. Let alone a whole week.” Merlin was rolling his eyes, as he folded Arthur's fresh set of clothes. 

“I am the king, Merlin! I can't just leave my castle for a random feast in the middle of Essetir!  
I don't even know these people!”

“Most of the are nobles or farmers from rich families. Maybe meeting them would be beneficial for future cooperation with king Lot. It would be good for you to have some of their voices on your side.”  
God, how Arthur hated it when Merlin was reasonable. Then, another thought hit him that lightened his mood and made him laugh. 

“What's so funny?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking -”, Arthur stumbled over his own laugh.   
“My servant is introducing me to nobles.” That earned him a smile. “Okay fine, I'll come with you. But in exchange, you'll let me sleep for another half an hour.”  
Merlin was beaming at him. “Absolutely, Sire.” Then he left the room. 

He didn't turn up for another two hours. 

\---------------------------

The anniversary feast was held in the middle of the woods somewhere in Essetir. Arthur, Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot, Gwen and Morgana had come with them. Elyan and Leon stayed behind in Camelot to make sure it was safe.   
How strange it was to follow Merlin around the giant tents that lead endlessly into the forest. 

Women and men in rich clothes waved at each other or bowed. And addressed each other with titles so far up, Merlin's previous reasoning didn't sound completely stupid anymore.   
This was the first time, since Arthur met Merlin, that he saw people eyeing him with dislike.   
Huh? That was strange. 

Now, Arthur and his knights were wearing normal clothes, not formally royal ones. Because Arthur had not expected a dress code here. Neither had Merlin, apparently, as he was wearing his usual purple shirt with that ridiculous neckerchief.

It were mostly women who looked at him like he was a useless piece of garbage though. Neither of them could be Merlin's former classmates. Because the school in Essetir was an all boys school, as much as Arthur knew.   
The women obviously just tried to reject his fashion style with their eyes. Making sure they were ABSOLUTELY not interested in a guy like Merlin. Only someone with status mattered in their eyes. Of the men, only their fathers shared the expression.

,Their loss.', Arthur thought, grinning widely.  
Honestly, almost everyone who knew him loved Merlin. But none of them could compare to Arthur's sheer endless fondness of the boy. Not that he would ever admit that, though. 

Then finally, Merlin seemed to see a couple of men he recognized and screamed their names. Loud enough that some women scoffed at him, while other ones (nicer ones) chuckled at his happy face.   
“Magnus! Alfred!” And then the small servant practically jumped at the two men, who looked at him in surprise. Their wife's turning in surprise, just seeing their husbands hug a – peasant. One of them, however, seemed to consider if she recognized Merlin from somewhere.”  
Arthur could only laugh. 

It was rare for him to meet old friends of Merlin. (New ones all the time. Merlin attracted friends like light did moths.  
Merlin's old ones however, had a weird tendency to be – dead.)

“Merlin?! Is that you? You've grown, mate!”, the taller of the two was laughing. He had long black hair and a strong beard. One Arthur could only be jealous of.   
Merlin chuckled.  
“And you just grew more hair. Seriously, Alfred. You've always been a bear of a man.”, they clasped their arms together like friends who went through war together.   
“And Magnus... last time I checked you had a boyfriend. What happened to him?”

Magnus laughed. He was shorter than Alfred. Had lighter hair and a wider face. He too wore a beard. “It turned out, he had always been a woman, just didn't know it. She told me right after graduation. We're married now.”  
He waved over to the woman next to him.   
“It's Alicia now.”, she said. Her voice was a bit rough. But in a time where you couldn't afford transitioning, that was to be expected. 

“Wow.”, Merlin gaped at her. “You look STUNNING!”, he said and bowed to her to kiss her hand.   
She smiled widely.   
“Thank you, Merls. I assume you've brought your new boyfriend too?”

,New?', Arthur wondered. Then ,wait... boyfriend?', he looked behind him. Nobody was there. Gwaine had efficiently dragged Percival off to drink somewhere, while Gwen and Morgana were checking out some of the dresses in the other tents.  
Since when had Arthur been alone standing here? Okay, with Lanceot. Fine. But still!

“No no. You got that wrong. I'm not his boyfriend!”, Arthur almost panicked, while Merlin just laughed at his face. Did he really find this funny?

“Not yet, anyways.”, Lancelot winked at Alicia, before grabbing Arthur's shoulder with a laugh.   
“I'll go take care of Gwaine and Perci. The way it looks, they are definitely going to be wasted in – an hour I'd say.” And then he simply left Arthur bright red to introduce himself. 

“Well then, not yet Merlin's boyfriend. May I ask your name?”, she asked sweetly, hugging her boyfriend from the side.   
Arthur took a deep breath. “I'm Arthur. I'm -”  
“He's my friend.”, Merlin interrupted him mid sentence. “Now, you guys must tell me everything! Alfred, you wanted to marry a princess, what came of that?”

Alfred laughed, his wife worriedly coming closer.   
“I didn't find a princess.”, he said seriously, before kissing her on the cheek. “She's a queen. Well – to me she is.” She was blushing, laughing at him. She had blond hair and dark eyes. Eyes of a warrior. She was absolutely beautiful.   
“I'm the lady Kira.”

Arthur gaped. “Lot's ward!”, he said, a little intimidated by her title. Not that he had a reason to be intimidated.   
Because he was king. Not that these people knew. 

She smiled and bowed mockingly. “Yes. That I am.”  
Magnus was still grinning. “I was made general of one of Lot's armies last month. You wouldn't believe the battles I've fought. Say, Merlin. You always wanted to free yourself from the farming lands, and travel. Find your dad, all that. What came of it?”

Merlin laughed awkwardly, searching helpfully for Arthur's eyes.   
“Well. I am a servant now.”, he said. Silence.

Arthur paled a little. Oh wow. That was – wow.   
What Merlin just said, made the two men and the two women look at him pitifully. All four of them were born under completely different circumstances then Merlin.   
They've had goals they could reach. And so they reached them.   
Merlin however – Merlin had not only failed – he had barely risen in status. Just as much as a farming boy could, actually. 

“Oh dear. Merlin. I'm so sorry.”, Alfred said. Arthur felt awful, watching this scene. 

Merlin frowned. “Are you kidding? This is the best job I've ever had.”  
Huh? Arthur looked up from his misery. He sounded -

“Are you actually proud to be a servant, Merlin?” There was another voice. Coming from the neighboring tent. It was young man with brown hair and a very strong nose who approached them. 

“Didn't I tell you to leave us alone, Lewie!  
Just because you are a lord now, doesn't mean you are superior to us.”, Magnus rolled his eyes.

Merlin turned to look at the man. And then smiled.   
“You know, one would think as a servant I wouldn't get out of the house much. But you wouldn't believe the life I've led. All thanks to this guy over here.”, Merlin laughed, as he punched Arthur in the guts.   
Since when was Merlin playfully jabbing at people?

Arthur made a face.   
Lewie laughed, closing up to Arthur now. Eyeing him up and down.   
“Oh, so you brought your BOSS with you. How cute. And who is this -”, he vaguely and dismissively pointed at all of Arthur. 

Arthur frowned now. 

“I heard you live in Camelot now. I hope your boss knows you're a sorcerer.”  
It was as if time had slowly slowed down. Merlin's eyes widening with shock. Alfred, Magnus and Lady Kira drawing their swords in a warning. 

Whether they were directed at Lewie or Arthur wasn't quite clear. But Arthur had different problems right now.   
Merlin – having magic? Being a sorcerer? Preposterous. What an asshole, seriously. This guy clearly wanted to cause chaos.

“So, he doesn't. Aww, poor little Merlin. Now you'll be in trouble. I bet he'll -”  
“Of course I know.”, Arthur said slowly. Certainly. He lied of course. Merlin turned around.   
“You did?”

Arthur blinked in surprise. Merlin looked at him in confusion, then fear, then – relief...

Oh god, it was true then. Arthur had just been bluffing to safe Merlin's skin. It was freaking true. Holy -  
He managed to nod.   
“What? For – for how long?”, Merlin asked, a tiny bit worried. But more awed than anything.  
“For how long have you practiced it?”, Arthur gave back. It was an honest question. Honest and full of fear, but Arthur was an amazing actor. It sounded like it was obvious. Nothing it about it was obvious!!!  
The betrayal. The magic. The – everything.  
Merlin gaped. Then gave him a lopsided smile. There was a relief on his face that Arthur had not expected to see. 

If this was a secret, why would Merlin be relieved he had found out? Strange.

The exchange went on for a little while. Both men exchanging silent words that neither of them knew how to interpret. 

Lewie rolled his eyes.   
“God, can you two please stop oggling each other? Who is this guy anyway?”

Merlin smiled as he turned back to Lewie. His chest swollen with a pride that Arthur had rarely seen in his servant.  
Servant. Of all the noble people around him, Merlin's life must be the worst – he -  
Arthur could hit his head. He really should be thinking in very different directions right now. 

“This guy, Lewie. Is my best friend and boss.”

Lewie's former grin widened.  
“You're best friend is your boss. How low you've sunk, Merlin.”

Arthur relaxed a little. ,I'm Merlin's best friend? Since when. Bloody hell, conscience. Merlin is a sorcerer. He lied to you for years. Could you please be mad?! Just a freaking little!'

“Actually. What my servant – my best friend was trying to say –”, Arthur drawled out. He wanted this Lewie to eat his own words. “I am Arthur Pendragon. King of Camelot.”

The reaction was instant. Lewie's face fell down to Arthur's hand, where the sigil, his proof of his heritage resigned embedded in a silver ring. Arthur held his hand up for him to see.

“You can't be serious.” He stared at him bewildered. 

Merlin's old friends were stunned now. Shocked and perplexed.  
Until Alfred began to laugh. “God, that is so typical Merlin. Makes friends among the noblest of the noble. Honestly.”  
Merlin beamed at him. “You should have seen him at the beginning, he was such a prat.”

“You mean, I'm not anymore?”, Arthur grinned back at Merlin. “Are you going to stop calling me that then?”

“Hmm ….. let me think about that for a second. No.”, Merlin didn't even blink. 

Lewie followed the exchange with a twitching eye. A servant being friends with a king …. no way. Also – did this servant just roast his master?  
“Well. You may be friends with the king -”, it visibly hurt him to say that.   
“But I am commander of one of the fleets of Essetir. The one that lead an immortal army against your kings kingdom. You should be glad you survived.”, the man hissed. Proudly now. 

Merlin smiled back. “Well. And who do you think defeated the immortal army?”

There was a silence between them, as Lewie's eyes wandered angrily to Arthur. What bad luck it was that the king of Camelot was here right now.   
“Right. I did.”, Merlin's grin widened, as Lewie's face turned absolutely confused and then back to Merlin. Just like Arthur's did. 

Merlin tilted his head at Arthur: “Didn't you say you know?”  
Arthur paled: “Well, I certainly don't know EVERYTHING.”, he deadpanned. Somehow he believed Merlin. It would be such a Merlin thing, if he just went and – was a hero in disguise or something. Why on earth was Arthur's mind still blank? Where was the rage? The anger – the betrayal! Come on, Arthur's brain. You need to register what's happening. You KNOW how evil magic is! How it corrupts.   
,But this is Merlin.' one part or his mind said. ,still!', said Arthur. ,he's got a point though.', another part of his brain added.

Alicia however, rose her hands to her face. “you?”  
Merlin nodded slowly. Arthur took a deep breath.   
“Nope. No. You didn't.”, Lewie was red with anger now. “I know you were born with magic. But I always bested you. There is no way you -”  
“You are literally five years older than me, Lewie. You were taught magic since you were a child. I was told not to use it. My mother made me swear not to get in trouble. So I tried to avoid you as much as possible.   
I lost on purpose, so you would leave me alone.”

“Are you challenging me, Merlin?!”, Lewie frowned, stepping closer towards Merlin.

Arthur cleared his throat. 

There was a fire in Merlin's eyes, that Arthur had never witnessed before. It frightened and amazed him.   
The other few witnesses stared between the two men whose eyes were locked to a silent war right about now. 

“Merlin, stop. Can I – can I talk to you for a second, please?” Arthur was getting desperate. There must be a reason for his apparent indifference towards Merlin's magic. And he had just gotten a very strange idea.

“Now?”, Merlin's head snapped towards Arthur. In an instant, his entire demeanor changed. His eyes softened, his posture relaxed as he smiled at his boss. His king.   
“Yes, Merlin.”

Arthur grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, as Lewie scoffed, but grinned as Merlin was so easily pushed around by Arthur. 

Behind a tree, a little further away, Arthur took a deep breath, before he began talking.   
“Merlin.”, Arthur was getting nervous now. Somehow he wasn't concerned about the fact that Merlin had magic, apparently. Even if he hadn't seen it just yet.   
No. He was more concerned about the fact that he wasn't concerned at all. 

“Did you put a spell on me?”, he asked. Because, certainly, that must be it!   
Arthur being indifferent about Merlin with or without magic. People loving him, except for sorcerers. That couldn't be a coincidence. 

“What?! NO! Never! What makes you say that!”, Merlin looked taken aback. Not just insulted by the accusation, but absolutely stunned. 

“I didn't know you had magic.”, Arthur admitted. Merlin's eyes grew wide in response.   
“But – just now you said -”  
“I lied.”, Arthur said, a bit embarrassed now. “I thought he wanted to provoke me to kill you. I was protecting you. I thought he was bluffing.”

Merlin paled. “Oh.” He made a small sound. Now the relief was gone.   
“Oh god, no. Arthur, I'm so sorry. I can explain – I - “

“Did you, or did you not put a spell on me?”, Arthur insisted on his question now. He needed to hear it. An earnest reply. Not an instant rebutting one.   
“I didn't. I swear!”, Merlin held his hand to his heart. “I only ever use magic to protect you. I don't use magic ON you. Except maybe, if it'd safe your life.”  
Arthur blinked. “So – you're not using anything to make me feel so – numb about it?”

“What do you mean?”, Merlin frowned, his eyes narrowed, his head tilted in confusion.   
“You mean you don't hate me?”

Arthur contemplated for a second. ,This is Merlin.', his head reminded him.   
,Stupid, loyal, brave, idiot, Merlin.'  
“I don't. So you're not – using an acceptance potion – a – a “, Arthur fumbled with his ideas. What potions were there that could make him feel so – normal about the whole thing? So – accepting of Merlin?  
“a love potion or -”

“A love potion?”, Merlin's mouth opened wide. Okay, now that was fair. That did sound like Arthur was -  
Oh wait.   
Fuck.   
Oh no. Did he have to realize that now? Like – right in this moment?  
Nope. Nope, he couldn't deal with this right now. 

“Ok, fine, I got it. Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“But Arthur – if you're okay with me being magic -”

,Being magic.....', Arthur blinked. Wait, seriously?

“You don't feel – Betrayed? Angry? Frustrated?”, well Merlin definitely sounded frustrated.   
“I've been worried about telling you for YEARS! And you just – are okay with it?”

Arthur gulped. “Honestly, I don't think I've processed the whole thing yet.”

Merlin nodded slowly. “So you're not – throwing me in the dungeons – or – or the stocks or – I don't know? Banish me? Execute me?”

“Is that what you want me to do?”, Arthur asked, a little overwhelmed by all these options that he SHOULD be considering, but couldn't. Somehow. 

He would have thought the whole magic thing would make him angry. But really, Arthur had struggled and doubted magic for so long -   
He had always seen the evil it did and searched for something good. And now Merlin was there and he WAS magic, as he said and -   
Arthur had never felt this calm about anything in his entire life.   
Arthur was never really able to truly hate magic. There was just something about his fathers speeches that always bothered him. And now – he couldn't hate Merlin. Magic. Both of them. Either of them. 

It was like Arthur didn't even have the ability to hate someone he loved so much. He made a face. Love was a word he usually tried to avoid in a context with Merlin. 

“No. But if you want, I could have George attend to me for a whole week?”  
Now, that sounded more like Arthur was punishing himself. 

Merlin stared at him. “You're really not mad at all?”  
“Believe me, I am just as surprised as you are.”, Arthur agreed. Then Merlin laughed. Loud and with a relief that even bested the one Arthur had seen earlier.   
He held his hand to his head, as if he couldn't believe what was just happening.   
“If I had known this – I would have told you years ago.”, he whispered to himself. 

“Why didn't you?”, Arthur asked. Not really hurt, because he understood why. But also conflicted. Would he have reacted differently at another point in their relationship?

“I thought I would put you in a difficult position. One where you had to betray your father. I didn't want to hurt you.”  
“You were that certain, I would choose you over my father?”, Arthur was confused. Didn't Merlin just remind him off all the options that Arthur should be considering right now?  
“I trust you.”, Merlin answered simply. 

Finally, a warmth spread through Arthur's body that had nothing to do with the warm air around them. Yeah, okay. Maybe there really was nothing to worry about after all. 

“So, erm – about that love potion thing -”, Merlin said, tapping from one food to the other.   
Arthur laughed. “Argh, let's discuss that after we've dealt with the magic ban thing.”, Arthur grinned and ruffled Merlin's hair. Merlin was beaming now. 

“Or better, after we dealt with that old classmate of yours. You think you could beat him with your magic?”, Arthur asked, feeling weird at the words he just used.

“Oh, with my eyes closed.”, Merlin laughed.   
Together, they went back to the tent, where Lewie was still waiting impatiently. 

“What, you afraid to fight me now? Did your king forbid you to fight me?”

“Lewie, I think there are some things I should probably explain to you.”, Merlin said, a small smile on his lips

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“Arthur here, is not only the king. He is the once and future king. I am not just his servant – I am Emrys.”

Arthur blinked. Em- what now? Argh, who cares. Merlin could explain later. Whatever this Emrys was, it made Lewie pale. 

“You just made that up.”, he said angrily. “You just want to best me.”  
Merlin was still smiling. “Nah, maybe you're right. But you know. I think the lowliest servant is more honorable than you are. I don't need to be the last dragon lord to achieve that.”  
Merlin was skipping in his steps, still grinning widely. 

“You are not a dragon lord!”, Lewie spat, but Merlin finally ignored him. Maybe because Merlin knew he was right. And that Lewie wouldn't believe anything he said anyway.

“Alfred, Magnus, Alicia, Kira – how about we go somewhere else and I can tell you ALL of what happened in Camelot, since I got there!”

Merlin's friends were still staring at him with open mouths. Arthur couldn't really blame them. All of what Merlin was saying sounded so – exaggerated. How could any of it be true? Except he knew deep down, that it was.  
It was like a dam had broke within Merlin. Now that Arthur knew about the magic – it was like he didn't care about what he was saying anymore. 

“Oh, I would love to.”, Magnus said, and waved for them to go and sit at the nearest fire.   
“I could call Kilgarrah, if you want.”, Merlin send Arthur a questioning glance.   
“He's the – er – the great dragon. I can explain that part. But I guess you'd have to meet him first.”

Arthur paled. Yeah, right, of course. The great dragon. Who was alive apparently. 

“Don't worry, I can order him to be nice!”, Merlin assured him. Normally that wouldn't be relaxing. But right now – as Arthur was a bit – overwhelmed by everything right now ….  
“Okay.”, he said. ,I trust you.', he meant.

Arthur had always known Merlin was not the stereotype kind of man. He was a twist of a person. He was a servant who could read. A farmer who went to school. A peasant with noble friends.   
A weakling with power far beyond anything Arthur could ever imagine.   
A kind man who was magic itself. An idiot that dragons bowed their heads to. 

Arthur had always considered himself the prince who saved the day. Who protected the damsel in distress. Who protected Merlin.

Merlin smiled and grabbed for Arthur's hand. “Don't worry, you'll be fine.”  
And then he raised his head to the sky.  
And roared. 

Turns out, Arthur had been the damsel in distress all along.


End file.
